Giving and Taking
by Faye Dartmouth
Summary: There was giving and there was taking, and even if they gave each other a hard time, that was exactly how they wanted it.  Tag to 1.11.


Title: Giving and Taking

Disclaimer: Not mine.

A/N: There are not enough words to describe my utter joy when it comes to this show. I wrote this post ep during a conversation with geminigrl11, who took the time to beta it for me because she is rather awesome in that way. It has no real purpose except that I wanted more Steve and Danny interaction in the end. When I didn't get any, this is what my brain came up with.

Summary: There was giving and there was taking, and even if they gave each other a hard time, that was exactly how they wanted it. Tag to 1.11.

-o-

It was one hell of a place for a crime scene. The sweeping views were impressive - even if Steve had seen them before. To think, most people came there to feel alive, and a young woman had almost died.

And their suspect had died. The shot hadn't been fatal, but the fall certainly had.

Still, there was a crime scene to process. A victim to take care of. The ambulance had come and gone, and HPD was still finishing their work on the scene while Steve coordinated the effort with Danny's help.

Standing at the edge, Steve narrowed his eyes, making out the small form of their suspect where he'd fallen. It wasn't the closure he'd been hoping for, but Steve wasn't picky in his justice.

And yet, the thought of retrieving the body was a bit more than he wanted to consider. He had the experience, but it would be a time-consuming process and the guy hardly seemed worth the effort. He briefly considered leaving the body, but figured Danny would cite some ridiculous rule at him, and Steve could really do without another lecture.

For today, anyway.

As if on cue, his partner showed up at his side.

"God," Danny breathed.

Steve nodded, lifting his gaze over the expanse. "I know," he said. "It's amazing, right?"

Danny's nose wrinkled, hands shoved into his pockets. "Not exactly," he said. He looked at Steve. "I was referring to the fact that people actually fly across the ocean to see this stuff. And for what, to die by the hands of a serial killer?"

Steve turned, looking at his partner. "What, they don't have serial killers back in Jersey?"

"Oh, we have serial killers," Danny said. "We have some of the best serial killers you'll find. Creative MOs, quality torture, real nutjobs."

"You're bragging about your serial killers now?"

"No, I'm bragging about the fact that even the killers in Jersey are more normal that your whackjobs out here," Danny said, and he pulled his hands from his pockets, moving them randomly in front of him. "All the island sun, the water - it'd drive anyone insane."

Steve stared. "And you think I need help."

"You do need help," Danny said curtly, rolling his shoulders a bit. His gaze wandered down. "Help scraping your suspect off the ground, to start with."

"Well, if you want, you could go down, check on him," Steve suggested.

"He's at the bottom of a cliff."

"He's still our perp."

"I think he's dead."

"You never know."

"I think I do," Danny said. He gestured out at the expanse. "He hasn't _moved_."

"Acting."

Danny made a face, shrugging a little, his hands wrapping around his chest. "You want me to climb down a cliff to check on the serial killer you shot who jumped and hasn't moved in the half hour since we've been here?"

It was a question, but only in theory. Danny's voice carried no hint of curiosity and a whole lot of barely restrained skepticism. It would probably be smart to not push Danny on this, at least if Steve wanted to do this the easy way.

But when did Steve ever want things to go the easy way.

"Seems like the least you could do," Steve said.

One of Danny's hands wormed loose, swooping with agitation. "What does that mean?"

Steve shrugged, as nonchalantly as he could. "You're the one who wanted to be his friend."

Danny's face twisted with incredulity. "It was an act," he said. "I told you, I was trained for that stuff. You have to make the perp trust you so they'll let their guard down. When they let their guard down, you can disarm them and arrest them and case closed."

"So the whole, _I know what it's like to have someone you care about walk away_," Steve said.

Danny's hands flailed. "Empathy," he said. "Make them think you care."

Steve shrugged. "He was a cold-blooded murderer."

"Who still had feelings," Danny said, punctuating his words by slapping one hand into another.

"Since when do we care about his feelings?"

Danny's hands went wide. "Since his _feelings_ motivated him to kill a bunch of people."

Steve shook his head, crossing his hands over his chest. "Shooting him was easier."

"Did you have a clear shot?" Danny asked.

Steve bristled a little. "Eventually."

"Yeah, after I softened him up," Danny said.

"After you bored him," Steve countered.

"He was listening to me," Danny insisted.

"He was going into a coma," Steve returned.

"Which would have worked just fine for apprehending him _and _would have prevented him from jumping off a cliff so, really, the fact that he's at the bottom of the cliff is _your_ fault, so I think _you _should be the one to check on him," Danny concluded, a little proud. He smugly returned his arms across his chest, chin raised.

Steve pondered that, looking over the foggy expanse. He eyed the fall, squinting to see the speck of their suspect far below. Chewing his lip, he looked up again, sniffling a little in the moist air. "We can let HPD handle that," he said.

Danny scoffed. "Sure, now HPD can handle that," he said.

"Boss's prerogative," Steve said, turning back from the cliff and heading to the car.

Danny followed, one hand fluttering in the air. "I thought the governor was the boss."

"She is," Steve agreed. "But she gave me full discretion."

"And that full discretion pays for doors and loaner trucks?" Danny asked pointedly.

Steve's eyes narrowed, taking in the partially mutilated SUV. He nodded. "Oh yeah."

Danny snorted a little. "That's not what you sounded like when your driving had me two seconds from puking."

"Puking is entirely within your control," Steve said, as rationally as he could. "The truck was damaged by our suspect's actions."

"And my stomach was damaged by your reckless excuse for driving," Danny countered. He kept pace, hands still moving. "Face it, you're screwed."

Steve made a face. "I'm not screwed."

Danny's chin remained high, his shoulders square. He tucked his hands in his pockets as he walked. "That's karma, babe," he said. "Think about that next time you decide to torture my ears with the worst song known to man."

Steve opened his mouth, then shut it. Because, damn it, Danny had a point.

Not that Steve was going to admit it.

"You know," Steve said, a little thoughtfully. "I am supposed to call the governor for a report, but if I'm going down to help retrieve the body..."

Danny stopped, extending one arm to stop Steve as well. He shook his head. "Oh, no, you don't."

Steve shrugged innocently. "You did say that going down after the perp was my responsibility."

Danny gaped. "And you said HPD could do it."

Steve shrugged. "I am the boss, after all."

Danny's mouth closed and he rocked back, crossing his arms over his chest with a small grin. "Okay."

Steve was surprised. "Okay?"

Danny nodded. "Okay."

Steve cocked his head, skeptical. "Why okay?"

Danny sighed in dramatic fashion. "You took the grieving widow back at the beach," he said. He shrugged a little. "The least I can do is take the governor with mostly good news."

It was the high road, which was a little unexpected, Steve had to admit, but actually made a lot of sense. Because in the banter, in the back and forth, they were still partners. They knew when to joke and when to be serious. They knew what tactics to take without even talking about it. There was giving and there was taking, and even if they gave each other a hard time, that was exactly how they wanted it.

Steve nodded, smiling. "Thanks."

Danny shrugged. "That's what partners are for, right?"

Steve kept nodding, grin widening. "Yeah," he agreed. "I suppose they are."


End file.
